Al-Mashhadani heads to Doha upon official invitation
Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani headed to the Qatari capital, Doha, today, Monday, upon an official invitation.
The Speaker's media office stated in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani left Baghdad for the Qatari capital, Doha, accompanied by the Chairman of the Integrity Committee, Ziyad al-Janabi."
According to the statement "the invitation came in response to an official invitation from his Qatari counterpart, Hassan Abdullah al-Ghanim. During the visit, Al-Mashhadani will meet with a number of Qatari officials to discuss Iraqi-Qatari relations."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
Iraq appoints new chief justice following judicial turmoil
Also in Iraq Makhmour camp residents warn of 'humanitarian catastrophe' amid blockade Sudani orders monitoring of water flow from Turkey Austrian ambassador praises President Barzani's role in Iraq Iraq reports 34 percent revenue decrease in four months A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan - Judge Munther Hussein was sworn in on Thursday as the new head of Iraq's highest judicial authority, the Federal Supreme Court, just days after his formal appointment by Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid. The move marks a significant step toward restoring stability within Iraq's top judicial body following a period of internal turmoil. Hussein took his constitutional oath before President Rashid, who reaffirmed 'full support for the success of the Federal Supreme Court in its constitutional tasks,' according to a statement from the Iraqi presidency. Rashid underscored the court's pivotal role in safeguarding Iraq's democratic process, ensuring the separation of powers, and maintaining judicial independence. In his remarks, Hussein pledged his 'commitment to the provisions of the [Iraqi] constitution and law,' emphasizing his determination to protect the court's independence and shield it from outside interference. Hussein previously served as deputy head of the Federal Court of Cassation and was a reserve member of the Federal Supreme Court. Rashid had on Monday formally appointed Hussein as the new head of the Federal Supreme Court following the retirement of former Chief Justice Jassim al-Umairi. Umairi's resignation - officially attributed to "health reasons" - followed a wave of resignations from within the Federal Supreme Court. In mid-June, six out of nine permanent members and three reserve members of the court stepped down, reportedly in direct protest against Umairi's leadership. Speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity, one of the resigned judges stated in mid-June, 'The behavior of the court president [Umairi] is unacceptable to us, and we are tired of dealing with his working manners.' However, following the appointment of Hussein, the resigned judges rescinded their retirement requests. According to INA, they stated that 'the reasons that led them to request retirement have been addressed.' The judges congratulated Hussein on his appointment and highlighted the importance of establishing 'sound judicial work mechanisms' and adhering strictly to constitutional jurisdiction. They also stressed the need to 'preserve the independence and neutrality of the judiciary and refrain from any behavior or practice that would compromise it.' Importantly, these developments come ahead of a highly anticipated legal session concerning the Kurdistan Region. Since early June, public servants in the Region have been urging the court to issue an injunction that would compel the federal government to resume salary disbursements, which have been suspended since late May. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated after the federal finance ministry halted all budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including the salaries of more than 1.2 million public employees. The ministry claimed the freeze was due to the KRG exceeding its allocated 12.67 percent share of the 2025 federal budget. Kurdish political parties have widely condemned the suspension, labeling it unconstitutional and politically motivated. President Rashid's swift endorsement of Judge Hussein may be seen as an attempt to stabilize the Federal Supreme Court at a time of mounting legal and constitutional challenges - including the urgent issue of public servant salaries in the Kurdistan Region.
Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
Makhmour camp residents warn of ‘humanitarian catastrophe' amid blockade
Also in Iraq Iraq appoints new chief justice following judicial turmoil Sudani orders monitoring of water flow from Turkey Austrian ambassador praises President Barzani's role in Iraq Iraq reports 34 percent revenue decrease in four months A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Residents of the Makhmour refugee camp on Thursday continued to report severe restrictions on their movement and access to essential goods, despite denials from Iraqi and Kurdish authorities. 'We can't even take ill people to get treatment outside of the camp because of the blockade,' a resident told Rudaw, adding that medicine and other medical supplies are running low. Camp officials say basic necessities like school supplies, construction materials, and household goods are barred from entering the camp. A supervisor from the camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they have been under a blockade imposed by the Kurdistan Region since 2019, which was compounded by Iraqi restrictions added three months ago. 'If it continues, a humanitarian catastrophe will occur,' the official warned. Residents have staged protests in recent months demanding an end to the restrictions, which they say amount to a collective punishment unrelated to current security developments. The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement disputes the claims. 'They are officially registered with the Iraqi state and have no problems and are free to move to all provinces,' ministry spokesperson Ali Abbas told Rudaw on Thursday. Abbas added that residents are fearful following the arrest of five camp representatives in Baghdad. The individuals were detained after traveling to the capital in May to protest what they described as a government-imposed blockade. According to information obtained by Rudaw, the group was released after spending over a month in detention. Makhmour camp, located southwest of Erbil and administratively part of Nineveh province, was established in 1998 and is home to around 10,000 Kurdish refugees from southeast Turkey, most of whom were displaced during Turkey's conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) when their villages were depopulated. Camp authorities say residents are currently barred from working, accessing hospitals, or enrolling in universities, while many have been unable to renew expired refugee documents, preventing them from passing through checkpoints. The camp has long been caught in regional tensions. Turkey views it as a PKK stronghold, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2021 labeling it an 'incubation center for terrorism.' Turkish airstrikes and drone attacks have previously targeted alleged PKK positions in and around the camp. The PKK, which has fought Turkey for decades for greater Kurdish rights, deployed fighters to protect the camp from Islamic State (ISIS) attacks in 2014 but said it withdrew its forces in October 2023. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and was officially banned by Iraq last year under Turkish pressure. On May 12, the PKK announced its decision to dissolve, and a group of its fighters is expected to disarm in a ceremony in Sulaimani province next week, according to sources familiar with the process. As regional actors navigate a fragile peace process, Iraq is now reportedly seeking to return Makhmour camp residents to Turkey. 'Especially now that there is rapprochement between the PKK and Turkey and the issue of laying down arms is near, the Iraqi government wants to directly send them back to their homeland alongside managing the peace process,' Rashad Galali, deputy head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) office in Makhmour, told Rudaw. Soran Hussein contributed to this report.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Foreign warnings urge Iraqis to avoid escalation against US-Led Coalition
Shafaq News – Baghdad Several Iraqi politicians have received warning messages from international sources urging them not to support or facilitate attacks against the US-led Global Coalition forces, a security expert told Shafaq News on Thursday. Saif Raad, a security and strategic affairs analyst, said that beginning last Saturday, a select group of Iraqi political figures received text messages on their personal phones warning of serious consequences if any attacks were carried out against coalition troops operating in Iraq. According to Raad, the messages included statements such as: 'Warning to Iranian militias. Any attacks on coalition forces will be met with a swift and decisive response,' and 'Iranian militias continue to endanger Iraqis… do not become puppets in Iran's hands.' He added that the texts were followed by voice calls repeating similar warnings. The term 'Iranian militias' commonly refers to Iraqi armed factions aligned with or backed by Iran, many of which are part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization officially affiliated with the Iraqi state but composed of various groups with differing loyalties. Iraqi authorities have yet to issue any official response to the reported messages. These developments follow a wave of simultaneous drone attacks across multiple areas in Iraq — including Kirkuk, Baiji, Duhok, and al-Sulaymaniyah — as regional tensions intensified after a 12-day escalation between Iran and Israel. While no direct attacks were recorded on US military installations in Iraq during that period, US forces intercepted drones targeting the Ain al-Asad Air Base in al-Anbar Province. Despite their vocal support for Iran during the recent conflict, Iran-aligned Iraqi groups did not escalate their military posture significantly, maintaining a relatively restrained stance amid the regional standoff.
